Chapter six: Hallucination
Chapter six: Hallucination
Camilla
"So sorry, sweetheart but you know I can't do that. You are going to have a quick nap but don't be scared, I am not going to hurt you as long as you cooperate."
With one hand still on my hip, keeping me to him, he let go of my neck and reached into his jacket pocket. He pulled out a white cloth, I have seen enough movies to guess that it has chloroform on it.
This isn't happening, I won't let him do that to me. Knowing that this is my last chance to fight back before Iose consciousness. I used his lessened grip on my body to my advantage.
As he goes to raise the cloth to my face, I know that it is now or never. Bringing my elbow up, I drove it as hard as I could into his stomach before twisting my hips to release myself entirely from his grip. My phone fell from his pocket but I didn't bother to pick it up. I was already moving in the opposite direction.
My heart skipped a beat at the feeling of his hand just barely brushing against my hoodie, in an attempt to pull me back but thankfully, he was just a split second too slow. Before I know it, I find myself turning the corner and throwing my body ungracefully into the lobby.
I didn't stop running until I was at the front desk of the hotel and slammed my hand on her desk. The receptionist looked a little startled by my entrance and gave me concerned look.
" Call the police!" I choked out over my frantic heavy breath.
I turned around, expecting the man chasing me to appear but there was no one in the room other than me and the woman on the desk.
"Miss, is everything okay?"
"No, please you have to call the police. There has been a murder." She didn't move from her spot, she just stood in front of me frozen in place as if she was unsure of what to do.
What the hell is she thinking? Her eyes flick between me and the door a couple of times and I noticed. Turning to see what she was looking at, there is absolutely nothing but the streetlights lining the parking lobby.
I turned my head back to her and I was beyond confused. Is she in shock or something?
"What are you doing? Please call the police, I dropped my phone outside so I need you to call them." She finally comes to her senses, reaching out to the phone on the desk.
"Police, what is your emergency?" I faintly hear a voice on the other end of the phone.
Then immediately my brain shut off from my surroundings. I am safe now but I was absolutely exhausted.
"Miss?" I flick my head up to the receptionist.
"The police are on their way but they are going to speak to you. If you want you can go sit over there to wait, it seems like you could use it."
Looking over the seating area she was referring to, nodded my hand and gave her a small smile in thank you. The second later, I was beside the leather couch and my knees gave in and I fell backwards, sitting on the couch. I leaned forward so that my elbow rested on my thighs and my head fell into my resting hands.
Did I do something wrong? Is this the universe's way of getting back at me for something I did? Today just doesn't feel real, I have officially lost every close person in my life because a witness to murder. I am probably going to go broke within a week if I don't find a way to get myself together.
I wanted to cry but I don't think my body is even capable of that right now. I don't have the energy for tears, so instead, I cried on the inside. Waiting for the police to arrive and question me, it didn't take long before two officers came. A man and a woman.
"Miss Ranger?" The woman police called, looking at me.
How did she know my name? Sensing my slight confusion, she told me that the lady at the front desk opened my file when she called them.
"Oh okay." Is all I managed to say.
Both of them took their seats on the couch across from me, treating me as if I were some fragile object that could shatter at any second. Who knows, I might.
"My name is officer Stella Brick and this is my partner officer Charles Oni. We are just here to ask you a few questions about what you witnessed tonight. Is that alright with you?" I just nodded my head.
"Okay, well we will start off simple. Can you tell us in your own words what happened?" I sniffed, rubbing my tired eyes.
"I was out to the front of the hotel when I heard a voice scream."
I answered so many questions for almost an hour while the seemingly kind officer took notes on everything I just said to her. We talked about what I saw, from the description of the brunette lady and the dead man. What I remember and how I got there.
The lady continued to talk to me while officer Charles left to investigate the back of the building.
"Do you need a break?" She asked.
"You seems a little out of place right now."
I didn't realize that I was starting to zone out until she mentioned it. Giving my head a shake to clear my mind, I gave her my full attention.
"No, I am sorry. It has just been really a long day and I want to get this over with."
"That is completely understandable, we should be done soon but I will need a way to contact you if we have any further questions."
"Does my phone number work?"
"Yes, that is more than enough. I am going to need your address."
She gave me a piece of paper and a pen. I jolted down my name, address and contact information before handing it back to her.
"This is technically my current address but I am going to be staying here for a few days if you need to find me." I said to her since I wrote down mine and Robin's address on the paper.
Just as she was about to respond, officer Charles walked through the entrance, giving a slight nod to his partner.
"Miss, l understand this may be hard for you to do but I am going to need you to take us to the exact location of where you said the murder took place." The man told me.
"What? Why? It can't be hard to find, there is blood everywhere."
"I am sorry but I have checked the entire back areas twice and still there wasn't a single trace of evidence confirming your story."
"W.. what? That is not possible." I stood up immediately.
"Miss, we are not saying that we don't believe you but what I am saying is that there was nothing…"
"It is fine, I will just show you the place. It is literally right around the back corner." I cut him off and mentally cursed myself for being rude but I seriously don't have time for this right now. I just want to go to bed even if I am still unable to fall asleep.
"You lead the way, Miss Ranger. We understand it is not easy to be back in a place associated with a traumatic experience so take as much time as you need."
"I am fine."
Pulling the hood of my sweater over my head, I walked out of the safety of the hotel and back into the real world. Both the officers were following right behind me, I could hear them murmuring but I didn't care to listen to what they were saying.
"This is it right here." I looked at them before turning the corner to face the place that would likely be the feature of my nightmares for the next few days.
I was dumbfounded with what was in front of me. I saw the dumpster that I hid behind, the wall where the girl's back was resting. I saw the pavement that once grounded a very much dead man, I saw everything the same way as I did before but where was all the blood?
What the hell is going on? I turned around to face the officers who were looking at me with slightly concern on their faces.
"I don't understand, it was right here. A man was killed right here."
"Listen, we are not accusing you of anything but I have to ask. Is it possible that you could have been hallucinating or suffering from some type of mental disorder?" Officer Charles asked. He can't be serious, can he?
"You think I made this up?"
"We aren't saying that but we have to consider all possibilities. The fact of this is that, there isn't a single bit of evidence confirming your story. You describe a scene where there was a lot of blood and based on the short time it took us to get here, it would be impossible for the scenes to be cleaned up so quickly." I was just staring at them in shock.
"We are going to send out a forensic team first thing in the morning and have a few officers stand here tonight to ensure that the crime scene stays untouched. Unfortunately, this is all we can do at the moment."
"This isn't possible, I know what I saw."
"Well, the forensics team can confirm that tomorrow. I am more focused on you though, have you been sleeping enough recently? You seem exhausted."
"Yes, I am. I haven't slept for a few days and it is just catching up to me."
Officer Charles gave his partner a knowing look that scares me.
"What is it?"
"Well, you see, it is not uncommon for people to hallucinate when they experience certain levels of sleep deprivation." Stella responded
But I am not crazy, I know what I witnessed.
"Doctors aren't too sure why but even after twenty-four hours, people can start to experience illusions and hallucinations. However, it highly occurs after a person is awake for up to 48 hours. In your case, you said it has been long since you last slept, right?"
"It is over forty-eight hours." I mumbled.
I was mortified at the possibility that I made such a fuss over something that might not have even happened.
"Okay, well a patrol is already on their way to ensure that the scene stays preserved. Try and get some rest, you really need it. We will be contacting you again tomorrow but hallucinating or not, I highly recommend that you book a time to speak with a sleep doctor." She said to me.
I was so embarrassed and nodded my head, my arms folded as she walked me back to the hotel.
"I am really sorry if I have wasted your time."
"You didn't waste our time at all, it is our job to help. Even if all of this was a result of a hallucination, it doesn't make your experience any less real for you. So don't feel the need to apologize." I nodded and found comfort in her words.
"Keep a phone with you tomorrow, the forensics team will be out first thing in the morning so we will let you know what they find out."
"Thanks, I will."
"Have a good night, Miss Ranger."
"And you too, officer Stella.
I walked back to my room, my clothes were spilling out of my bag and there were take out containers still on from yesterday. I just don't have the strength to clean it up yet, I don't have the energy to do anything at this point other than to sleep.
I pulled off my shoes, I didn't bother changing my clothes as u fell straight into the bed in my hoodie and a pair of jeans.
With my body still on top of the comforter, I rested my head on the pillow, feeling my mind drift off to sleep for the first time in days.
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